Near & Afar: What to See, Buy, and Download Right Now

“We found the perfect plot of land on this little island,” says fashion designer Henrik Vibskov of the real estate he acquired recently for his new design studio in Copenhagen. His dream space on the historically industrial Paper Island came with one catch, though: He had to build a public play space in the adjacent shack. The newly opened coffee shop you see here, which serves brew from Swedish roaster Haugaard, was his way of creatively clearing that hurdle. From the outside, Den Plettede Gris (Trangravsvej 5) appears to be a quiet farmhouse. Inside, it’s like a scene from a Lewis Carroll novel. Crisscrossed elastic strings, held in place by pine pegs, give visitors the feeling of shrinking and stepping inside a piano. The trippy pattern and warm colors are all refrains of Vibskov’s own whimsical textiles, which you can watch come to life through the window of his workplace next door. —ANDREW RICHDALE

Photo courtesy of Epic Tomato

GET OUT THERE: LET’S GO FLY A HAWK

Outfitter Epic Tomato’s new Nepal expedition is novel for two reasons. First, travelers hike to peaks in the Himalayas that are virtually untouched by humans. From there, the most intrepid strap into a glider alongside an instructor who is armed with a live vulture. The raptors intuit currents in the air and navigate the least bumpy route in the sky. It’s a literal bird’s-eye view of Nepal. —JEN MURPHY

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DIGITAL LIFE: HACK YOUR LIFE

These popular apps for daily life are also your best friends on the road.

Kitestringworks like a worried parent. Before going out, you tell it when you plan on being home. It texts you at this time and alerts a friend if you’re unresponsive. Use it camping to be extra safe.

Before your next group vacation, have friends download Splitwise, which roommates use to track shared expenses. When you return, you’ll know exactly who owes whom for the Airbnb and bottles of rosé.

About 500 million people around the world use WhatsApp to send free messages over WiFi. Use it overseas to text friends and family, sans exorbitant roaming charges. —A.R.